What is it about? -- A typical dysfunctional American family goes on a road trip (a 700-mile drive in a decrepit van, no less) after seven year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) becomes a fluke finalist for the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. What ensues is, of course, a series of mishaps and incidents which are guaranteed to either tickle your funny bone or touch your emotional core (in a good way, of course). Who's in it? -- Greg Kinnear and Toni Collete play the oft bickering husband and wife; Alan Arkin, Steve Carell and hitherto unknown Paul Dano round off the rest of the family, as grandpa, brother and son respectively. However, it is really Abigail Breslin who steals scenes with her bespectacled, wide-eyed intensity, albeit lacking the dramatic solemnity of Dakota Fanning. Still, part of Breslin's charm (apart from her slightly ungainly figure and "ugly-duckling" look) is that her portrayal of Olive is never too cute, too sweet or too adorable.
Why you should/shouldn't watch it -- Although the film is beset with characters which are indie-movie stereotypes (foul-mouthed grandpa, angst-ridden teen, success-obsessed dad, suicidal gay, etc) and a couple of loopholes in the storyline, what makes this film so endearing is the excellent ensemble cast that delivers strong and unaffected performances throughout, and the dark, satirical (but atrociously humorous) script.
In a nutshell -- Balancing comedy and drama with great panache, this film is indeed a substantial watch that would make you leave the cinema feeling uplifted and warm (without feeling overtly cheesy).
my ratings: 4.2/5 stars!!!
